Antique Oak Children's Desk Restoration - Part One

In this video Simon shows how Gilboys sets about restoring a small antique children's oak desk. During the restoration he takes time to explain what to look out for when restoring antique and vintage furniture. Sharing knowledge of how to use traditional hot melt glues and repair techniques that preserve the originality of the antique.
Simon also explains why the old finish is removed using a liquid stripper, rather than hand sanding or using an electric, mechanical sander.
In 1987 Simon Gilboy was indentured for 4 years as an apprentice French Polisher by Dartington Trust. After completing his apprenticeship he then spent two years in full. time education studying the art of traditional signwriting. He now has decades of experience under his belt.
It was during this period of full time education he established Gilboys furniture restoration. Working from his parents garden shed and later opening a small workshop with the help of The Princes' Trust.
Simon demonstrates in this first episode of two, how what appears to be an easy or relatively quick restoration of child's oak desk, can be quite an in-depth and detailed one.
To discover more about Gilboys please visit us here gilboys.co.uk
Video Chapter Index
00:01 Opening credits showing where Gilboys is located in South Devon
01:30 Introduction to the small oak desk
03:38 Repairing the drawers
04:34 Using Hide Glue
07:03 Repairing drawer dividers
08:00 Using a syringe to inject hot glue
10:37 How to recognise if your drawers are worn or wearing out
11:17 Removing worn out drawer Runners
11:40 How to renew your drawer runners using the original ones
12:36 How do you visually see if the drawers are worn
13:58 Discovering hidden nails
15:06 Why you shouldn't use PVA glue on antique furniture
18:17 Using a cabinet scraper to remove the old glue
19:39 Using a biscuit jointer
20:40 Gluing the top back together
25:15 Reusing the old oak repair patch
26:15 Using scotch/pearl glue to glue in the oak (NO NAILS)
27:03 Using water based wood stripper to remove the old finish
28:47 Using a cabinet scraper to remove the old finish
30:13 Water based wood stripper filed to work
32:47 Comparison of water based stripper verses chemical stripper
33:48 Black spots on oak after using the water based stripper
35:53 Why use a wood stripper when you can just sand it off?
38:17 End of part 1

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Great video Simon. What a wonderful tip on reversing and reusing the runners! Perfect fit, no measuring, sympathetic material and quick!

[@GilboysRestoration]

Thank you Bruce. I hope all is well with you. 🙂

[@time4clocks]

Looking forward to the next part! Thank you sir! 😸

[@daan7330]

what a nice surprise , a new video from Gilboys , and what a nice video it is , thank You very much .

[@GilboysRestoration]

Thanks Daan. 🙂

[@jamesstrickland1478]

Very happy to see you back. Looking forward to part 2.

[@GilboysRestoration]

Thank you James.

[@mrstandfast2212]

Great to see you back. I love the new intro, very entertaining. Sorry to have to witness the trials and tribulations of using that water based stripper, but very informative from a hobbyist point. I'm looking forward to seeing the next stages of the refurbishment.

[@GilboysRestoration]

Thank you. This small restoration job turned into a ridiculously big one. It’s great for KZbin, but if it was a paid job I would be on less on 50 pence an hour 😀

[@Argyll9846]

Really enjoyed watching this and your other restoration videos.

[@GilboysRestoration]

Thank you Nicholas. 🙂

[@edhook2239]

That was really good looking forward to the rest

[@GilboysRestoration]

Thank you. 🙂

[@andrewooddotcom]

It was 100% worth waiting for this video! It was insightful, nice to watch and informative and even dramatic ;) Thank you :)

[@GilboysRestoration]

Thank you Andrzej. Very kind of you.

[@whatwhy975]

Love the new intro!

[@GilboysRestoration]

Thank you. 🙂

[@AB-nu5we]

I just checked our area stores on line here the US. In my area, non-water based strippers are back and available for general use, including those that have MEK in them. They did disappear for a while, but they're back. I had poor to kind-of-working results with water based finishes. Yuck. Looking forward to part 2.

[@cobberpete1]

I hope your Daughter appreciates the trouble you went to. The solvent is always the best in my experience. you have to make sure you wash it off, neutralise afterwards. I dislike with a passion the use of nails. The split in the top, I would have used PVA as it is a very strong glue, and unlike a joint, it is something you would never need to take apart. I'm looking forward to part 2.

[@GilboysRestoration]

Thanks Peter. It did turn into a ridiculously long winded restoration which continues in part 2. 🙃 I tend to stay away from using PVA on period furniture, as it’s a non reversible glue. Scotch glue is incredibly versatile and very strong. You’ve just got to know how to use it. I neutralise the wood in part 2, which I will be editing this week. It takes about a week for me to edit each one. 😀 Thank you & Best wishes Simon.

[@antonzemanek7770]

❤️

[@sydneyshinshi]

We can still buy the solvent based stripper from the hardware shop here in Australia. Hope that doesn't change.

[@GilboysRestoration]

I think you’re lucky Michael. I know it has a string chemical in it. But as long as you are not using it for hours and hours, 5 days a week, then I’m sure it’s fine. Glad you liked the video. Best wishes Simon.

[@gav2759]

As a callow youth, starting out, I stripped an oak table top and I was horrified by the ensuing catastrophe. Blooming thing became covered in blue black spots. As a boat builder who had almost permanently stained hands from handling wet oak, I should have known better. Oak, moisture and ferris materials are a fatal mix. It's been Scotch-brite for me, since that fateful day.

[@nickwoodall4744]

Hi Simon, was this a different waterbased stripper to the ones you have used in previous videos over the last year or so. Which you had great success with?

[@GilboysRestoration]

Hi Nick. The stripper I had success with on the Teak table was.. "Home Strip Paint & Varnish Remover" It worked really well when I used it that time. The one I used in this presentation was useless, but it might have performed differently on another piece. It's a minefield trying to work out which one is best because there are so many varied finishes out there. I hope you have success kind regards Simon

[@bloggalot4718]

Could do with a clip on mic to cut down the echo.

[@GilboysRestoration]

Yes.I will invest in one soon. Sorry